A children's choir from the U.S. state of Utah has captivated crowds during their eye-opening visit to China, creating moments of connection between cultures.
The young singers performed their beautiful renditions of a Chinese song in front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Temple of Heaven, a major historical attraction in Beijing.
With nearly half of its members coming to China for the first time, the choir explored the city's iconic landmarks including the majestic Great Wall and the magnificent Forbidden City, experiencing the charm of Chinese culture.
While the historical architecture left them in awe, the adorable pandas at a zoo won their hearts.
The choir members also delighted in Chinese cuisine, from Sichuan-style spicy hot pot, to Cantonese shrimp dumplings and Beijing-style noodles.
"Honestly, I didn't expect to like a lot of the foods. The foods are a lot different than I thought they would be. But I love all the food and I'm going to start making some traditional Chinese food at my house because I've loved it," said Perry, a member of the One Voice Children's Choir.
Amid the China travel boom, a growing number of overseas visitors are gaining new cultural insights like these as the country welcomes the fostering of bonds between peoples.
US children's choir sings Chinese song in Beijing, builds bonds
The Republic of Korea (ROK)'s former impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday was sentenced to five years in prison on arrest obstruction charges.
The criminal division of the Seoul Central District Court in charge of Yoon's obstruction of justice case handed down the prison sentence to Yoon for abusing the presidential security service to hinder the anti-corruption agency from executing its arrest warrant in January 2025.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) was once thwarted in its attempt to arrest Yoon as the presidential security service formed human shields and bus blockades to prevent investigators from entering the presidential residence.
The team of Cho Eun-suk, an independent counsel who led investigations into Yoon's insurrection and other charges, demanded a 10-year prison term for Yoon.
The court said Yoon privatized the presidential security service for personal safety and private interests by blocking the law enforcement agencies' lawful execution of an arrest warrant and attempting to destroy evidence, pointing out that despite the very bad nature of his crime, he consistently offered unconvincing excuses and showed no remorse.
The court stressed that severe punishment was necessary, considering the need to restore the rule of law damaged by Yoon's crime, but it noted that the fact that he was a first-time offender with no criminal record was considered a favorable factor.
The sentencing, which was broadcast live, was Yoon's first verdict coming from his botched martial law bid.
The first-instance sentencing for Yoon's insurrection charges was scheduled for Feb 19. The special counsel sought a death penalty for Yoon on the charges.
Yoon declared emergency martial law on the night of Dec 3 in 2024, but it was revoked hours later by the National Assembly.
The constitutional court upheld a motion to impeach Yoon in April 2025, officially removing him from office.
The ousted leader was indicted while in detention in January 2025 on charges of leading an insurrection, becoming the first sitting ROK president facing such prosecution.
ROK ex-president Yoon sentenced to 5 years in prison on arrest obstruction charges
ROK ex-president Yoon sentenced to 5 years in prison on arrest obstruction charges
